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HELP! I'm losing my MILK!

My milk supply have been dwendeling down ever since I started her on solids. Ever since I was pregnant I was so excited about nursing and convinced a ton of my pregnnant friends about the beauty and benefits of BF and my own baby girl has been weening herself. I use to pump between 6-9 oz before bed every night and now I'm lucky to get 2. She still takes a bottle before bed and we have burned throught our frozen milk reserves and have reduced to giving her formula at night and with her cereal. What should I do?

While pregnancy can lower supply it's important to note that pumping (unless EPing) DOES NOT INDICATE LOW SUPPLY! What you had was a massive oversupply! Normal output is .5-2oz for BOTH BREASTS! May I ask why baby was getting bottles? Also, cereal is not good for BF babies because it can cause anemia--I'll post an article later). Best way to get baby not to wean is to stop bottles and solids and nurse. You're still making milk! Just watch diapers!

before I look at this, I want to tell you that 99% of the women who come here believing they're losing their milk are actually NOT and are doing just fine. Let's take a look.

Quoting Pamela.V.Shoe:

My milk supply have been dwendeling down ever since I started her on solids.

First things first. And the first thing is to nurse first. Solids after nursing. That's your primary defense.

Ever since I was pregnant I was so excited about nursing and convinced a ton of my pregnnant friends about the beauty and benefits of BF and my own baby girl has been weening herself.

At nine months old she's not weaning herself; babies don't do that (it would be suicide and that's not an infant concept, you know?) But we often see babies led to weanoing, primarily through too many solids. See above. **smile**

I use to pump between 6-9 oz before bed every night and now I'm lucky to get 2.

Two... at NIGHT??? You are NOWHERE near losing your milk. You'd have to c hop those bad girls off to be losing your milk.

You've merely moved from amazing overachiever to still above mere mortals... who are usually lucky to get two DROPS at night. Supply is lowest then.

She still takes a bottle before bed

Don't do that any more. It's one of the reasons you're seeing low output. No bottles unless you're gone. NONE.

and we have burned throught our frozen milk reserves and have reduced to giving her formula at night and with her cereal. What should I do?

Skip the cereal; not needed. Baby eats what you eat. Toss the formula. Put her to breast. You're not losing your milk but you ARE sabotaging yourself. If you are present, baby goes on the breast. If you are not working or going to school put the pump away. You don't need to pump unless you're going to be away from baby.

You're merely making life harder on yourself, so just relax and put baby to breast and you will be 100% fine. Though I'd never expect to see that huge pump output again. Normal is half an ounce to two ounces!

before I look at this, I want to tell you that 99% of the women who come here believing they're losing their milk are actually NOT and are doing just fine. Let's take a look.

Quoting Pamela.V.Shoe:

My milk supply have been dwendeling down ever since I started her on solids.

First things first. And the first thing is to nurse first. Solids after nursing. That's your primary defense.

Ever since I was pregnant I was so excited about nursing and convinced a ton of my pregnnant friends about the beauty and benefits of BF and my own baby girl has been weening herself.

At nine months old she's not weaning herself; babies don't do that (it would be suicide and that's not an infant concept, you know?) But we often see babies led to weanoing, primarily through too many solids. See above. **smile**

I use to pump between 6-9 oz before bed every night and now I'm lucky to get 2.

Two... at NIGHT??? You are NOWHERE near losing your milk. You'd have to c hop those bad girls off to be losing your milk.

You've merely moved from amazing overachiever to still above mere mortals... who are usually lucky to get two DROPS at night. Supply is lowest then.

She still takes a bottle before bed

Don't do that any more. It's one of the reasons you're seeing low output. No bottles unless you're gone. NONE.

and we have burned throught our frozen milk reserves and have reduced to giving her formula at night and with her cereal. What should I do?

Skip the cereal; not needed. Baby eats what you eat. Toss the formula. Put her to breast. You're not losing your milk but you ARE sabotaging yourself. If you are present, baby goes on the breast. If you are not working or going to school put the pump away. You don't need to pump unless you're going to be away from baby.

You're merely making life harder on yourself, so just relax and put baby to breast and you will be 100% fine. Though I'd never expect to see that huge pump output again. Normal is half an ounce to two ounces!

Listen to gdiamante. Reduce solids. Stop givong bottles when the breasts are readily available and cereal is a no no for breastfed babies. I too was wondering about nirsing EVERYTIME before solids but this convinced me. I want to nurse my son for months to come :) it is important. Also i can get maybe 3 oz in the morning but at night i can only get enough to cover the bottom of the bottle. It's just how it goes but it doesn't mean my supply is low

I had to really cut solids for awhile because my baby was a huge eater. I'm talking a whole egg plus fruit for breakfast, an adult full fat Greek yogurt for lunch etc. I cut the quantity of his food and he went back to nursing his usual amount.

Breastfed babies are really good at maintaining the proper caloric balance for their growth and too many solids calories means they cut the important breast milk calories.

Stop giving her a bottle before bed! Nurse her. Nurse her as much as you can! How old is she? Does she still nurse? Why do you give her a bottle instead of nursing? I agree that pumping doesn't indicate supply but it can be discouraging to only see a couple ounces. Fenugreek is a GREAT supplement that can help as well as Mother's Milk tea (found in any grocery store). Good luck and don't give up if your not ready!

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